The members of Greece’s new government were unveiled yesterday afternoon, following a meeting among Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Evangelos Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis -the respective leaders of PASOK and Democratic Left- that support the coalition government. The new government consists of 39 members of which 25 are New Democracy party deputies and 14 members are non-elected technocrats.

Non Executive Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Greece and University of Athens Professor Vassilis Rapanos has been appointed Economy and Finance Minister; Dimitris Avramopoulos is the new Foreign Minister, and Kostis Hatzidakis, Development, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister.

The members of the new government were sworn in in the presence of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, with the exception of the Finance Ministry’s leadership. Addressing the first Cabinet meeting, the new PM said that the government, which has full power as stipulated by the Constitution ,”has no grace period.” He also announced a 30% cut in the ministers’ salaries.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The 35th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, after the collapse of the 7-year military dictatorship, was celebrated on Friday, July 24, at the Presidential Mansion. It was hosted by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and attended by the country’s political and military leadership as well as 1,200 guests, some 700 of whom participated in the resistance movement during the junta years. In his address, President Papoulias said that every such anniversary demands contemplation and vision for the future. He added that the celebration of this specific anniversary was “a choice that proves deep respect for all those who struggled against the dictatorship,” adding that lavish affairs and receptions were incompatible with the spirit of the struggle against the dictatorship. Referring to the resistance movement, Papoulias noted that it is the most powerful proof that “there is beauty and magnificence in Greek society,” and “the struggles of the Greek people are the nucleus of an optimism that gives rise to creative forces, casts off defeatism, and brings the aura of a better tomorrow.” (Photo: Constantine Karamanlis returns to Athens on July 24, 1974 with the mission to restore democracy)

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias received july, 21, at the Presidential Mansion a delegation of students from the University of Cyprus. Papoulias stressed that “there is no greater insult to human rights than the presence of an occupation army in an EU member-state” and pointed out that “hopefully a day will come when there will be no occupation army in the Republic of Cyprus.” Meanwhile, Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros referring to relations between Greece and Turkey said that Greece follows an approach of “gradual normalisation that will lead to the complete normalisation of relations with Turkey as achieved with most of our neighbouring countries,” while stressing that Turkey, having chosen a European orientation, should display respect to European principles and values. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Cyprus; European Commission: Enlargement- Turkey

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) A series of events under the title “35 years – It’s a long time” has been scheduled to marke the 35th anniversary since the invasion of Cyprus by the Turkish army (20th of July). The programme includes three exhibitions in the Syntagma metro station and a concert in Syntagma Square in the evening.

Worshipping Women

Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias inauguratedyesterday July 20 at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens the exhibition “Worshipping Women: Ritual and Reality in Classical Athens.” The exhibition which was shown earlier this year at the Onassis Cultural Center in New York gathers together rare and extraordinary archaeological objects -belonging to the National Archaeological Museum, the Louvre Museum, the Vatican Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of New York, the British Museum- in order to re-examine preconceptions about the exclusion of women from public life in ancient Athens ancient artefacts The exhibition will run until November 30, 2009.

6th Int’l Conference on Law

The Athens Institute for Education and Research is organising the sixth international conference on Law, in Athens on July 20-23. The Institute was established in 1995 as an independent academic organization with the mission to become a forum where academics and researchers from all over the world could meet in Athens and exchange ideas on their research and discuss future developments in their discipline.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias arrived in Beijing on Sunday, for a five-day visit to China. Papoulias, who has already met with President Hu Jintao and the premier Wen Jiambao, commented on China’s “tremendous economic and political role” and was very satisfied to see bilateral relations reaching “the highest levels of cordiality and friendship”. Bilateral agreements focused on matters of justice, foreign aid cooperation, tourism, culture, international affairs such as climate change, as well as on educational issues. Continue reading →

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis briefed President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias today on the outcome of last week’s NATO Summit in Bucharest in which Greece, backed by other countries, did not consent to extend an invitation to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to start accession negotiations for eventually joining the Alliance, pending the name issue. Greece’s conditional position was reflected in the Summit Declaration issued by NATO. “I believe that conditions will be soon be ripe to resume negotiations under the auspices of UN in order to find a mutually acceptable solution” the premier said in a friendly message to FYROM’s people and political leaders. Continue reading →